Wonderful
by Princess Tyler Briefs
Summary: This is a song fic about Wildwing and Nosedive's life on Puckworld. Kinda', yeah.


A/N: Guess who wrote a Mighty Ducks: The Animated Series song fic? As per the usual, this focuses mainly on Nosedive and is kinda' angst. I cried when I wrote it. But I think you'll be surprised just how much you can do with song.  
  
Disclaimer: Insert you disclaimer of choice here. I'm feeling to angst to write a funny one right now.  
  
Wonderful  
By: Prince Tyler Briefs  
  
"Well you just don't know how to raise children Arthur! You nearly scared Nosedive to death when you hit him!"  
"Well he shouldn't be mouthing off like that!"  
"You shouldn't hit him like that!" Two adult ducks where standing in the middle of the room, yelling at each other as loud as they could. Upstairs two young children were huddled together in the shabby room they shared. The older of the two looked about ten. His hair was the same color as his feathers, and gentle dark eyes. Those eyes were full of tears, and he was whispering comforting words to the little one he held tightly in his arms. The little one looked to be about five, with shaggy blonde hair. His eyes were closed tightly, tears streaming down out of them and off his beak. He has a red mark running from the end of his beak to about his neck.  
"It's okay Nosedive." The older one whispered, "everything's gonna' be okay. I'm gonna' take care of you, always." The little duck kept shaking, visibly trying to be brave and yet being so terrified he couldn't control it.  
"What are we gonna' do Wildwing?" Nosedive looked up at him, green eyes pleading. "We can't stay here."  
"We can't go either. Nosedive I'll look out for you, I promise."  
"But what if you're not there someday? Wing what if you…"  
"Don't even say that Dive! Don't even think it! Even if I'm not here physically, I'm still here for you. No matter what, I'm there." Nosedive just closed his eyes again, leaned his head against Wildwing's chest, and tried to repress his sobs.  
  
I close my eyes when I get too sad  
I think thoughts that I know are bad  
Close my eyes and I count to ten  
Hope it's over when I open them  
  
Later that night, after many crashes and yells from downstairs, all was quiet and the two brothers were ready for bed. Wildwing was in his clothes from earlier that day, having no pajamas or clean clothes to change into. Nosedive was in a grubby old jersey of Wildwing's, curled up on the right side of the only bed in the room. Wildwing was asleep next to him, and snoring slightly. Nosedive was wide-awake, starring at the bare walls. Somewhere, from the back of his young mind, a memory of a room popped into his mind. It was of a room. It had white walls that were covered with posters of different movies and TV shows. It was bright and happy, sunlight streamed through the window. It was a bright happy room, so unlike what he would see if he opened his eyes. His tiny hand slid out of the warm covers and into the sleeping Wildwing's. He wanted a real home so bad it made his chest ache. What was it like to be really loved by an adult? Wildwing loved him, sure, but it wasn't enough. He needed the care and encouragement from an adult. Closing his eyes tightly, he tried to fall asleep.  
  
I want the things that I had before  
Like a Star Wars poster on my bedroom door  
I wish I could count to ten  
Make everything be wonderful again  
  
It was at the dinner table the next night that things really started to heat up. All Wildwing had to do was ask for the potatoes, and war was on. Over who's food was best, and who was taking better care of the kids.  
"You don't know what you're talking about Shasta! Kids don't need nutrition as bad as they need to have fun."  
"If you don't give them the proper nutrition they'll never grow up big and strong! Look at what you're clumsy care has done to Nosedive! He's so small he could pass for two!" Nosedive's eyes opened wide. He wasn't that small was he?  
"Well you're 'nutrition' kick has made his so scrawny I'm surprised that the school hasn't called the authorities to report neglect and abuse!"  
"And you're hitting him so hard it leaves a cut helps that situation any?!" After five minutes, they didn't even know what they were fighting about anymore. But the damage had been done. Nosedive looked down at his hands, eyes filling with tears. He wasn't that small, wasn't that scrawny, was he? He did everything he was supposed to do, all the time. But every time he just tried to be himself, he was hit or put down. Wildwing saw the hurt on Nosedive's face, the agony and damage that had been permentatly placed there. With each word the two older ducks spoke Wing could feel his anger growing, until the ten year old had been pushed to the limit.  
"Shut up!" He screamed. Caught off guard, they both fell into silence. "I can't believe you two! Acting like a couple of babies! You're the adults, act like it!"   
"Wildwing Firedrake you don't talk to us like that! We're you're parents…"  
"No you're not! And I'm not a Firedrake either! You don't love us! You don't care about me or Nosedive. You yelled at me for being near failing, when the problem was I couldn't do my studies cause I was to busy looking after Nosedive. You two were to busy tearing at each other's throats to noticed when he needed help! Then you go and yell at Nosedive for getting straight A's, calling him to smart for his own good! So shut up! Just shut up!" Dive had never seen Wildwing so angry before, and he was terrified his brother would do to him what a few of their early foster parents had done. Smacked him around, hurt him, left him in his sorrows. But he didn't. His expression went from fiery and furious to calm and gentle as soon as he turned and saw Nosedive trembling in his seat. As gently as he could he bent down and picked Nosedive up off his chair. "Come on Dive. We'll leave the 'adults' to settle their problems." With one last cold glare over his shoulder, Wing led Dive upstairs.  
  
Hope my mom and I hope my dad  
Will figure out why they get so mad  
Hear them scream, I hear them fight  
They say bad words that make me wanna cry  
  
Wildwing lay Nosedive down in his bed, gently tucking the covers around him.   
"Try and sleep, okay Dive?"   
"Okay Wing."  
"And Dive…"  
"Yeah?"  
"I love you baby bro."  
"I love you too Wing." And before he knew it, he was asleep.  
I"Come on Nosedive, you can do it." A kind lady with bright eyes and long blonde hair had his hands and was tenderly pulling him to his feet. A man was standing not to far behind her, and a much younger Wildwing was next to him. "Come on Dive, try again. You'll have this walking thing down in no time."  
"That's it Dive-guy!" Wildwing grinned down to him. "You've almost got it. Just a little more." The tender hands gently let go of his. He was standing, and moving forward to! The excitement and delight was over whelming. And before he knew it, he was in the strong loving arms of the man, being raised above his head.  
"What a big boy you're turning into Dive! Such a big, strong, healthy boy!" Nosedive laughed as he was lovingly, wonderfully, tickled./I  
Nosedive awoke from his dream, feeling happy but a little disorientated. He was sure that had once happened, that he had once been loved by people like that. And the love it felt so…good! To know someone had actually loved him, if only in his memories and dreams, was amazing and happy.   
  
Promises mean everything when you're little and the world's so big  
I just don't understand how  
You can smile with all those tears in your eyes  
Tell me everything is wonderful now  
  
Wildwing looked over then, and grinned at seeing him awake. But his eyes remained sad, and Dive immediately knew something was wrong.  
"What's the matter Wing?"  
"They're sending us back to the orphanage. Seem to think that it's 'the best thing for us.' Ha! They don't care one wit about what's good for us. They only care about what's good for them!" His face, which had become disfigured with anger, suddenly became sorrowful and lonely. "I'm sorry Dive." Nosedive crawled over the covers and climbed onto his brother's lap, feeling his safest in his arms.  
"Why bro? You didn't do anything."  
"No. I'm sorry you have to go through this nightmare! A kid you're age should be loved and cared for by a parent. I'm doing my best Dive-guy, but with school and everything I just…"  
"You're not going to send me away are you!" Panic suddenly filled him. The thought of his brother, the only living thing that really seemed to care about him, abandoning him was almost too much for him to bear. "Don't go Wing! I'll be good, I promise! I'll get whatever grades you want, and eat all my vegetables. I never laugh again, or crack jokes, if you don't want me to! Oh please Wing don't leave me alone!" Wildwing immediately shushed him there. He'd been trying to since the beginning, but had only just managed to do so.   
"Sh! Dive it's all right, I'm not going to leave you anywhere. Excpeacilly not alone. I promised you I'd always be there for you, and I meant it to. No matter what happens Dive I won't leave you behind. You're my baby bro, and I couldn't live with myself if anything were to happen to you. Wherever we're going, we're going together. Deal?" Nosedive grinned and took his brother's extended hand.  
"Deal."  
  
Please don't tell me everything is wonderful now  
I go to school and I run and play  
I tell the kids that it's all okay  
I laugh aloud so my friends won't know  
  
"Hey Nosedive!" A five-year-old girl with curly red haired waved to him from the back of the bus. With a grin he ran to sit beside her, leaving Wildwing to talk to kids his own age.  
"Hi IceRacer!" The girl laughed out loud at the silly nickname. She'd know Nosedive since the beginning of the year, and was soon his best and only friend. Her real name was Misty McMallard, but she'd felt so bad for Nosedive and his funny name that she made up one to and insisted that everyone (even her older sister and two older brothers) call her that. Nosedive had told her once that he was sure Nosedive wasn't his real name, and that it had been a nickname once to. But between all the orphanages and foster homes it'd had gotten lost until only Nosedive was left.  
"What you been up to girly-girl?"  
"Nothing much. Driving Mallory crazy, but then again what else is new?" The grin on her face was evil, yet it held some sort of child like innocence. Nosedive laughed, pretended it was a normal day, as he listened to IceRacer tell the ingenious ways she'd come up with to torture her sister. But it didn't take long for her to realize that everything wasn't as okay as he was pretending.  
"Nosedive? What's wrong?"  
"Nothing."  
"I know it isn't nothing. I'm you're best friend, and will be forever. So don't tell me nothing when something is wrong. I promise I won't laugh, and I won't tell no one neither." With a resigned sigh, he began to tell her all that had happened over the last weekend.  
  
When the bell rings I just don't wanna go home  
Go to my room and I close my eyes  
I make believe that I have a new life  
I don't believe you when you say  
  
"Oh Dive that's awful!" By now the bus had reached the elementary school and deposited that kids in the crowded playground for some pre-school activities. IceRacer and Nosedive had quickly taken their accustom places by the edge of a small pond, always covered in ice.  
"I know. And I thought for a minute Wing was going to leave me but the he wasn't so it's not as bad."  
"Gosh I don't know what I'd do if Ben, Chester, or Mallory told me they were going to leave me somewhere so that I'd be safe and loved. Oh Nosedive they have no right to treat you like that!"  
"I know. I guess going back to the orphanage really is the best thing…"  
"Oh I know! Lets get my mum and dad to adopt you! We need someone that fits in the age gab between Mal and Chester, Wildwing does that perfect. And mom loves it when you come over…" Nosedive shook his head.  
"You know that would never work Ice. You're dad and Mallory don't like me to much." This was a true statement. They found Nosedive's wise cracking, happy-go-lucky ways extremely annoying and angering. IceRacer's face fell, but her voice was cheerful as she spoke again.  
"Well don't worry Nosedive! With a cute face and spunky personality like yours, I'm sure you'll find a good home in no time!"  
"If you say so Ice, if you say so."  
  
Everything will be wonderful someday  
Promises mean everything when you're little and the world is so big  
I just don't understand how  
You can smile with all those tears in your eyes  
When you tell me everything is wonderful now  
  
NoseDive never saw IceRacer again, because the next day they left for the orphanage. Twelve years later he ended up on a strike team with her older sister, but didn't make the connection. It had been to long for him to remember. He'd ended up there quite by accident. Wildwing seemed to remember that long ago promise, and refused to leave Nosedive behind on the now conquered Puckworld, even when his best friend Canard asked him to. Now Canard was gone, and six ducks were stranded on planet earth. And it was to Wildwing's great surprise that he stumbled across Nosedive reading a book in the ready room one day.  
"Hey Dive. What you doing?"  
"Reading. What does it look like."  
"Well I can see that. But what are you reading?"  
"A book I found in Mal's room. It's called 'Don't hurt Laurie.'" Wildwing didn't like the sound of that title. He snuck over and snatched the book from Dive's hands. He read the back cover. That was all it took. He could tell it was about a girl who was being abused by her mother. "Aw Dive. You don't remember all that stuff do you?"  
  
No  
No, I don't wanna hear you tell me everything is wonderful now  
No  
No, I don't wanna hear you tell me everything is wonderful now  
I don't wanna hear you say  
That I will understand someday  
  
Nosedive didn't look at him. Instead he became suddenly fascinated with a spot on the floor. This didn't fool Wing for even a second.  
"Dive you gotta' forget that stuff. Put it behind you…" Dive looked up sharply, looking more dangerous then Wing could remember him being before.  
"Put it behind me? Wing you weren't in that hell hole half as much as I was! You always had somewhere to go something to do! And it wasn't just that one house either, and you know it! Everyone after that, right up to the McCoy's, was almost as bad! Then we find the Switchblades, and life is good. And just as I'm thinking 'wow, so this is what it's like to have a family' BAM, here comes old Lizard Lips and ruins everything!" Wildwing took a step back, looking at Dive's trembling form in shock. Regathering his composer, he put an arm around Dive's shoulder.  
"It's okay baby bro. Everything is going to be okay now. We've got our own family here on earth, better then almost anything we had on Puckworld. Now come on, why not look at the here and now instead of dwelling on something's of the past?"  
  
No, no, no, no  
I don't wanna hear you say  
You both have grown in a different way  
No, no, no, no  
I don't wanna meet your friends  
And I don't wanna start over again  
  
I just want my life to be the same, just like it used to be  
Some days I hate everything  
I hate everything  
Everyone and everything  
  
Please don't tell me everything is wonderful now  
I don't wanna hear you tell me everything is wonderful now  
  
"I know you're right Wing, but it's hard! We started over so many times! And I'm afraid that if I trust the team they'll leave me like everyone but you. That's why I show off Wing, why I hog the puck. If they can't see I'm hurting, they can't do anything to me."  
"But you don't have to hide it from me Dive." The teen didn't say anything, just refocused on the spot on the floor. Wildwing raised an eyebrow, a hurt expression fleetingly crossing his face under the mask. When he next spoke, his voice betrayed all the hurt he was trying to keep from showing. "Nosedive you don't think I'd do something like that to you do you?" Again silence from the teen. "Nosedive I would never, EVER, do something like that too you. No matter how much you pester, annoy, tease, taunt, worry, or hurt me I'll still love you. Because you're my brother. And when it comes right down to it, you're all I got. So when you're hurting, or something's bothering you, come talk to me. I'll always be right here, waiting to listen. And if we stick together, everything will be wonderful someday." 


End file.
